I just began sponsoring Buajan on April 1st, 2002 through Childreach. She is almost 11 years old and lives in Phatai, which is a small village in the Mae Ai district of Thailand. Mae Ai is 170 kilometers north of Chiang Mai.
One of the main problems in Mai Ai is the high incidence of HIV/AIDS. Many children become orphans because their parents die of AIDS related diseases. Mai Ai is situated on the Thai/Burma border and also has problems with drug runners.
Buajan likes to play with dolls, pretend cooking and watching TV.
When she grows up, she would like to be a teacher.
Buajan is now in the third grade of primary school. Her performance in school is good. She walks to school, which takes her about 30 minutes, and often walks with her friends Yameeda and Porli. She likes to study local language, drawing and her music lesson is her favorite subject.
Buajan's family lives in a small house made of bamboo with a straw roof. The house is owned by the family but without a legal title. It is in fair condition, and they do have a latrine. They use an open fire to cook their meals, and wood is their main source of fuel.
During their spare time, Buajan's family likes talking with friends and watching TV. Phatai has a communal TV where Buajan and her family can pay to watch their favorite programs.
Buajan's family is:
Yala (34) - Buajan's father. He works as a peasant farmer.
Nathor (34) - Buajan's mother. She is a peasant farmer.
Na-ue (11) - Buajan's sister.
Supaporn (7) - Buajan's sister.
Sudarat (2) - Buajan's sister.
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